How to save a life
by acidfloo
Summary: Kagome bids Inuyasha farewell after defeating Naraku, but leaves things unsaid. She later returns to Sengoku Jidai again, only to witness the killing of a friend by a monster. She ventures on a journey with an unexpected ally to seek vengeance. Kag x sess
1. Unsaid  Chapter 1  Revised

This is my first fanfic, featuring kag x sess! Two fics, Laying amongst Dokatsu and Tales from the House of the moon inspired me to write.

Waha! Revised (with the amazing help from my beta 3, what would I do without you!).

Italics thoughts

**Revised!**

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**Unsaid - Chapter 1**

There was a silent hum between them. Staring intently at the shades of grass dancing beneath her bare feet, dry tears flowed down her cheeks. She felt numb and distant from her body. Looking at Inuyasha, as if from a third person, she saw the heavy emotions that hung in the air as they stood still, waiting for it to fall; and she knew. She knew she was leaving so many things unsaid. She was breathing deeper instead. She opened her mouth, but she knew a hundred thousand words could not explain.

_What we got is hard as hell_, she thought to herself.

"It ... looks like it's over," Kagome finally whispered. The word 'over' rolled off her tongue like the bitter taste of defeat that she knew so well. She knew that when she got home, she'd have to sing herself to sleep, trying to take her mind off the situation at the time. She knew; she suddenly knew she was becoming a part of his past, becoming the part that didn't last. She was losing him and it was effortless, all in a moment's time. The time it took for her to find him would be the same amount of time that it took for her to lose him.

"You know ... at the beginning, I thought I was in over my head. But ... I'm glad that I was." She smiled politely back at him, as he stared politely right on through.

Inuyasha began, "Me too. I..."

There they stood, in what felt like a timeless moment, with the same cool breeze blowing gently on their backs. But that soon would disappear. Disappear from their memories as they would disappear from the earth, from history, from each other's lives.

"I'll be going then," Kagome said, as she turned her back to him and began to walk towards the well. This well, the cornerstone of their happiness, would be the same well that would end it. But to the well, it was a matter of indifference. Lovers separated by time, the hardest obstacle to overcome. But to time, love meant nothing. Love was not continuous like time; it would end the moment the people who shared the love did.

"Goodbye, Inuyasha" were her last words as she stepped into the well, feeling the rush of cold air and dim glow of blue light. She knew that she was back in her own time now. She knew that her job in Feudal Era was done, that the chapter had ended and that it was time for a new chapter to begin in her book of life.

----

Sighing as she trod out of the well, mental and physical fatigue overcame her and she barely made it to her bed. "Mom! I'm going to sleep," She yelled, not caring whether her mom had heard her or not.

"Okay, honey! I'll wake you up in time for dinner," her mom replied. Well, it seemed her mom had heard her. But recently, she'd felt like her words fell on deaf ears. Kagome sighed one last time, picturing Inuyasha sitting in a tree, with his legs dangling off the branches, and she fell into a well deserved slumber.

"Ah, I wonder how he's doing." Kagome fumbled, as she got ready for school.

"Um, Kagome? Can I talk to you for a second?" Souta stood at the door, uncertainty marring his face.

"What is it, Souta?" Kagome replied, while packing her school bag.

"You've been different ever since…" Souta trailed off, trying not to bring up a painful subject. "And I don't like this new you. You're always looking towards the well when you think people don't notice, but I do." Souta yelled as he ran from his sister's room, not wanting to hear the reply.

"Souta…" Kagome whispered, as she felt tears well up again. She had never meant to neglect her family, but now she was guilt-ridden as she thought of the holidays and birthday's she'd missed, and the memories she could've had.

Days passed, but Kagome just didn't find herself adjusting to a normal life. "It feels like I should be doing something. Saving someone or helping someone!" She groaned at the load of homework that she had to catch up on. She eyed it cautiously, trying to decide which subject was the easiest to start with. She wasn't feeling any better. 'Isn't time supposed to heal painful wounds?' Kagome thought, turning to face her ceiling. She liked her ceiling; it was blue with a hint of beige. Her ceiling was there to support her, to cover her from the painful torrents of emotions that would've overcome her.

'No. I can't let it end like this. I have to go back. That wasn't the goodbye I wanted. I need to see him one last time.' She thought, as her resolve quickly strengthened.

"Mom? Hey, could I talk to you?" Kagome asked during dinner, she stared at her plate, picking away the peas. "I know that I've missed a lot of family stuff and that you guys have missed me. And the truth is, I've missed you a lot too. But I feel like there's something I should be doing on the other side of that well. I know it sounds self-" But Kagome got cut off.

"Kagome dear, I know how you feel. Everybody has to go through that phase of self-discovery and I know that I can't force you to stay here and pretend to live a normal life, when you are so extraordinary." Her mom smiled. It was a smile reserved only for her daughter. "Now, eat."

When dinner was finished, she packed up and got ready to go. "Mom, Souta, Gramps, I promise, when I come back, I'll definitely be strong," Kagome whispered, giving each one a hug before walking out the door.

---

"Dammit!" Inuyasha yelled, as he barely dodged an attack from the transformed bear demon. "I won't lose to some furry cub!" Inuyasha yelled, as he retaliated, lunging at the bear with Tessaiga. "What do you want from me?!"

"Your inheritance, your sword," The bear growled back, trying to claw at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha jumped and slashed at the bear's ears, causing him to howl in pain. "Keh! As if I'd let you have it!"

---

Four figures wandered aimlessly around the forest, exploring. Rin happily danced around with Jaken while Sesshoumaru was perched in a tree, looking intently towards the east, Sesshoumaru's nose picked up the scent of Inuyasha's blood.

"Lord Sesshoumaru? What's wrong?" Rin questioned, tugging at Sesshoumaru's kimono.

"Nothing. Come, my half-brother and his foolish games have piqued my curiosity." Sesshoumaru placed Rin on Ah-Un as he ran, following the scent. 'I wonder who has the same ambitions as I. Perhaps an alliance to rid my brother could be in place,' he thought, as he finally reached the clearing.

"Wait for me, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken yelled, as he scrambled after the two.

---

Sesshoumaru approached the clearing, seeing a red, oversized bear digging its paws into Inuyasha. The bear was surprisingly quick, despite his size. The fight continued for several minutes, but it was apparent who had the upper hand.

"I have found a way to wield the Tessaiga so that even those not intended will be able to make use of its power. With this, the Eastern Lands will become far more powerful," said the Bear, swatting Inuyasha like a fly. "You'll finally be able to meet your father now," The bear yelled, preparing for the finishing blow.

In the corner of Inuyasha's eye, he saw Kagome emerge from the well. He gave her his last smile as the Bear plunged his claws deep into Inuyasha's heart before beheading him. With one last effort, Inuyasha reached out to Kagome. "Kagome," was all she heard.

Time stopped. Yet again, it was another one of those timeless moments that would follow you to the ends of the earth. She lost a part of herself at that instant.

"No!" Kagome yelled, as she ran towards Inuyasha, tears flowing down her cheeks like rivers flowing to meet the ocean.

"Kagome!" Rin yelled, as she emerged from her hiding place to stop Kagome from running to her death.

Sesshoumaru dashed out to stop her, but it was too late.

"Rin!"

The bear grabbed Rin and in one swift movement, slit her throat without a second's thought and slashed Kagome in the abdomen, while he made a quick movement to grab the Tessaiga before running off, his tail happily wagging in the distance. Sesshoumaru stared in disbelief, trying to mask his emotions. He swallowed hard.

'Rin…is dead,' he thought. His mind was blank. It was the first time since his childhood when such a strong surge of emotion threatened to erupt from every part of his body.

"YOU SICK BASTARD!" was the next thing heard. Even without her bow and arrows, Kagome ran towards Sesshoumaru, not knowing what to do, what to expect, what to feel. She tried to throw punches, but her bones and muscles just didn't seem to exist anymore. She pounded her fists against his chest, occasionally seeing a strand of silver hair through the tears of her eyes. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate ...! You were watching! Why didn't you save him?!" She quietly sobbed.

"You fool," Sesshoumaru threatened, staring in disbelief at Kagome, as he shoved her to the ground.

To be continued…

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Well, gee. It feels like I'm killing off characters left and right, hehe. Anyway, I've already began working on the second chapter. Hope it'll be up in a day or two. (This time, for sure. It'll be up in a day or two.)

Note, I apologize for the clichéd lines in here. /


	2. Fall away  Chapter 2

Chapter 2

First of all,

GAHAHAHHAHHAHAHA!! Nice one mango. Love that review.

Also, to sam: I read somewhere that tenseiga can only be used once per person. It was already used once to save Rin previously.

Thanks for the reviews, everyone. I've definitely tried to make changes in my pace (as the reviews suggested). I know, I lied about the "few days". But, it comes with good reason! My beta was helping me with a new plot (because my old one had more holes in it than cheese) and partially because of school finals, and family problems. Also, thanks to miz who pointed (in the first version of my chapter) that Sesshoumaru couldn't wield tessaiga. D

I wanna say thanks to my beta reader (yes I will do this every chapter), who has been phenomenal in helping me with this story. Heck, I'm only on chapter 2.

**PLEASE! Reread chapter 1 (if you haven't done so already). I made HUGE changes in the plot. **

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**Fall away – Chapter 2**

Sesshoumaru was unsure of how to approach this situation. He had never dealt with something like this before. Between the cries of the priestess for the death of her lover and the scrambling of Jaken was the time he spent with Rin. All that was in between, ceased. There was no longer a materialistic bond between them; he could no longer reach her. _I wish she was a __stranger, _he thought, as he cast a sorrow-filled glance at Rin's lifeless body. _No, I shall not show weakness now._ But even so, a person could only take so much emotional damage, even one such as him. He clutched the skin where his heart was, or should've been. _Did he even have a heart?_

"That was the brother of the Lord of the Eastern lands. I recognize him from formal events between lords. If what he says is true, then I must pursue the sword. It is only fitting that I wield its power," Sesshoumaru simply stated, as if the death of Rin was of little significance.

"Is that all you care about?! That stupid sword?! Rin died today…" Kagome trailed off as she found herself staring at the ground once again. "…and it was because of me." She winced at the stinging pain in her side.

"Priestess, you are injured. I shall take you to my lands and you shall recover. It is about a three day trip." He began as he picked Kagome up and saddled her on Ah-Un. "Rin sacrificed her life for you. Do not waste it."

Kagome winced, as his words added more salt to the wound. She found herself staring at Rin's body again.

"Let us depart." Sesshoumaru soared into the sky, and Ah-Un followed.

Ah-Un groaned, as the weight of Kagome and Rin's body were saddled upon him. Cries from the demon could be heard throughout the skies, echoing endlessly into what seemed like an infinite sky. Kagome lost herself in the skies. _It__ happened so quick_, she thought. She glanced down, but all she saw was a luminous field of clouds, masking the warring, bloody land below. Abruptly, Sesshoumaru turned to the three. "We shall make camp today. It shall rain soon," he said, pointing downwards to a hollow tree trunk, large enough for all four.

Kagome groaned in pain as she lay down on the moist ground. Feeling her body shiver, Ah-Un moved closer to Kagome to give her what little comfort that was left.

"Jaken, fetch us food." Sesshoumaru ordered, as he situated himself in the darkest corner of the trunk.

"But Lord Sesshoumaru! It's rain-" Jaken mumbled before Sesshoumaru silenced him with a glare. Jaken sighed as he tread out into what was now pouring rain.

They sat in silence, listening to the painful cries of the rain. The never ending pitter patter of the rain covered the muffled gasps for air from the priestess, with stray tears rolling down her cheeks. Sesshoumaru gazed into blankness; he lost himself in the endless raindrops, constantly reminded of his inability to protect by the absence of Rin's presence. Rin's death broke the stoic control he had over his emotions, like a pebble dropped into a pond, breaking its serene calmness to wreak calamity upon it. Sesshoumaru finally understood what the word 'despair' meant; a life in exchange for the meaning of a word. The air was heavy, as the emotions that escaped from their bodies hung in the air, waiting to fall. Words that once were spoken so often could no longer be formed by her lips. Kagome croaked as she tried to say Inuyasha's name, as she tried to smell his scent again. Now, all that was left were memories of bitter times. Each minute ticking away felt like an eternity. The constant tick-tock of her watch, doing its job dutifully, as each tick and tock passed, it grew closer to its death as the battery inside it waned, just like a human life, was irritating.

Jaken returned, soaked, but with a few berries in his hands. Waddling over to Sesshoumaru, he said, "Here you go, my lord." He obediently laid them at his feet.

"Give them to the priestess, " Sesshoumaru replied as he reached into his kimono, he pulled out a small potion and gave it to Jaken. "Heal her wound."

When the rain died away, so did the smell of salty tears. Instead, the smell of morning dew filled the air, soaking away the painful night. The sunlight crept its way into the crevices of the trunk. Through Kagome's swollen eyelids, she saw Sesshoumaru. He was like the light at the end of a tunnel, except there was no warmth radiating from him. Nothing but a pair of cold golden eyes stared back at her with a bitter demeanor. With a frail hand, she reached out, not to hope, not to light, but to the demon that had let the one she loved die. _How did I become so despicable?_ There was nothing left to cling to, no hope, no smile waiting for her at home, nothing else except anger and vengeance.

"Priestess, you are falling apart." Sesshoumaru warned. "Stay calm. It is time to depart."

To be continued…

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Yes yes. Moar moar moar moar! Also, I am not some maniacal author who enjoys killing off as many characters in a story as possible. :o Chapter 3 will be delivered through FedEx, express delivery!


	3. Over my head  Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sorry it took such a while to update! I've been busy (such as attending ANIME EVOLUTION!!)

Thanks for the reviews!

Also, I've been aiming to write longer chapters (especially after chapter 2, which was really short).

Blazing: xD Sesshoumaru won't be sulking for too long

Norma: I was hoping no one would point out Inuyasha's body. xD

Music: More shall be revealed in the chapters to come (which will answer your question) 

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Each time Sesshoumaru thought about the death of Rin, he found himself biting his lip. The taste of blood in his mouth calmed him. He pictured himself devouring that bear, tasting his blood while making him beg for a painless death. The anger that was pouring out was beyond any that he had felt.

Kagome hated travelling in silence. All she could hear was the sound of air passing by, which wasn't so pleasant. She lifted her shirt to check her wound. _It's still bleeding_, she thought. The wound had not fully closed, and she could see the beginnings of an infection. Her shirt was soaked with her own blood, and her entire body felt numb from the cold air rushing by.

Her mind groped for a subject to talk about, anything to bring her mind away from the recent tragedies of Inuyasha and Rin.

"Sesshoumaru…I want to avenge the deaths of Inuyasha and Rin," Kagome began, twiddling her thumbs in doubt of her usefulness. "Please let me help."

Sesshoumaru heard Kagome, but made no effort to show it. He mentally tallied a list of things she could do. _A servant might be an appropriate position, _He smirked at the thought. _However, there is that ball coming soon. Perhaps she could provide me with intelligence during that time._

"Perhaps," Sesshoumaru replied, "you may be of use. There is a formal event between lords that is to be hosted in my castle." He paused, carefully choosing his words. "You may disguise yourself as a servant and be my ears."

Kagome sighed, for she expected something along the lines of a servant. "Yeah, sure," she replied, before turning her attention to the distant shadow of a large fortress. "Is that…" Kagome began, shocked at the enormity of the castle which Sesshoumaru resided in.

"Yes."

The castle's main entrance was heavily guarded with five demons on patrol. Upon noticing the arrival of the Lord of the Western lands, they each bowed before Sesshoumaru. "Welcome home, Sir," was shouted in unison. Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod before motioning for the gates to his home to be opened. Kagome couldn't help but let out a giggle. _They're like housemaids!_ She thought, smiling happily before she heard a menacing growl that broke her happy train of thought. Two of them were wolf demons, similar in appearance, with a grey bushy tail and the same cocky demeanor as Kouga. The other three were fox demons; they looked far friendlier than the wolves. She sighed as she thought of Shippo, Sango and Miroku. _I wonder where they are. _

She looked towards Inuyasha's Forest with a feeling of nostalgia. She tried to ignore the anxiety that pounded on the cages of her heart. She stood breathlessly at the enormity of Sesshoumaru's castle. Kagome stood, like a lost child in a world too big for her to comprehend, before the gates, the creaking sound of the millennium old gates etching itself into her ears.

"Put her in the servants' quarters. She shall also personally serve me," Sesshoumaru commanded before making a small effort to indicate Kagome. "Also, go fetch the healer to heal her wounds. Jaken, take Rin's body into my quarters." He set foot in his castle again, leaving Kagome in the presence of the other demons. Sesshoumaru looked around. His grounds were the same as when he left it, except that the flowers bloomed, and there would be no young girl to prance in them.

"Yessir!" The demons and Jaken replied before hurrying off.

The tallest fox demon helped Kagome off Ah-Un and escorted her to a room. _Geez, it's like a maze in here._. Kagome had trouble keeping up with this demon. The pain in her side began to burn with each step she took.

"Hey, could you slow down?" The fox demon grunted and made what appeared to be a scowl. Kagome muttered to herself before trying to alleviate the tension between herself and the fox. "I'm Kagome. What's your name?" She smacked herself at her meek attempt to have a conversation.

"Tachikoma," he replied before stopping at a small door. The poor door squeaked as Tachikoma gave it a gentle shove. Motioning for Kagome to come inside, he said, "You will be serving Lord Sesshoumaru personally. You will clean his sheets and any mess that exists inside his room. However, you will not touch documents or any item of importance while in that room. In addition, you will prepare his tea every afternoon. You will obey his every command as he owns your life. Be wary of consequences if you do not complete each task on time or disobey orders," Tachikoma said in a monotone fashion.

Kagome's head swirled as she tried to intake the instructions given to her. _This wasn't what she agreed to!_ She mumbled an "okay" before waiting for Tachikoma to exit. She released a sigh of relief after she heard the fox close the door behind him.

Her room was bare and old with use, nothing but a bed filled the empty space. Her bed was a small, yellow, cotton mat, with holes everywhere, and a flattened lump of cotton as a pillow. The ceiling of her room threatened to collapse on her as the walls trembled under the weight of what seemed like the world. The only light that entered the room was from a small window near her bed and through small cracks through the door. (You'd think Sesshoumaru's castle would be more lavish, but it's glad to see a break from the monotone) She shivered as she felt a slight breeze enter the room. She found herself reaching out blindly in the dim moonlight, trying to find the location of its entrance. _This is the worst_, she muttered (don't you mean 'thought'? Otherwise have the dialogue in quotation marks) before hearing a knock on the door.

"Come in," Kagome answered.

"I am the healer, Chihiro." A horse demon trod carefully into the small space while carrying a small bag of what seemed like herbs. "Lord Sesshoumaru sent me." The demon looked like a centaur, from books that she'd read, with the upper half of his body as human and the lower half as a horse. "Show me your wound."

_I suppose centaurs might be based off demons like him. _Kagome tried to show as little skin, or blood in this case, as possible. "I think it's getting infected." Those health classes she took in school didn't help at all with her situation, she thought as she watched Chihiro tend to her wound.

"Thank you, Chihiro." Kagome said while flashing the horse demon a grateful smile.

Chihiro returned the smile with a playful jolt of his tail. "You're welcome." Chihiro gave Kagome one last glance before leaving Kagome to her thoughts"There must be something special about this girl if Lord Sesshoumaru personally sent me to her. But why keep her in the servants quarters if she was important?" He mumbled as he left.

Rumor spread like fire that the master had found himself a new human. Jaken could hear the servants gossiping about the fate of the old one. "Perhaps the master had gotten bored of that one!" Jaken fumed as he stomped away.

There was a knock on the door before it opened. A cat demon entered. "My lord, I know it is not my place to advise you. However, you are beginning down that same slippery slope as your father. Rumors have spread that you have found yourself a new whore." Kiba began, but was silenced by Sesshoumaru's glare. Kiba's hair was an unruly yellow, with streaks of dark orange that matched the freckles on his face and the tail that was dancing in the back.

"I am fully aware of what rumors run amok in my castle. However, I will make it clear that I do not share the same sentiments towards humans as my father did." He sneered before remembering the night when he heard his father making love to Inuyasha's mother. Recalling (I the sound of those moans infuriated him even further. "If that is all, then leave me."

"Yes sir," Kiba replied before closing the door behind him.

Sesshoumaru then turned his attention to Rin's body, which lay on his bed. He opened his windows as he began to prepare for the cremation of her body. He planned to sprinkle her ashes over the flowers in the castle's garden that she loved to play in. Sesshoumaru carefully picked up Rin's body and carried her to the garden. He set Rin's body, which was in a pile of wood, alight. Sesshoumaru watched as the light from Rin's body began to outshine the light of the moon while creating a crackling noise. He stood in silence as he watched, almost entranced by the dancing flames in front of him. Eventually the light and sound faded into the darkness of the night. He picked up the ashes and spread them over the flowers that were bathing in the moonlight.

---

Imagine this. Reviews are my writing food. So if I don't get enough reviews, I will get hungry and my writing will slow down. :o Imagine! I MAY EVEN STARVE TO DEATH! You guys don't want that happening!

Anyway, I had a blast at anime evolution. Lotsa cosplayers (heck I even saw Captain Jack Sparrow there!). And…for viewing pleasures, below is the link to a guy who cosplayed as Sesshoumaru! He did a pretty good job too.

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1948/dsc00960sx1.jpg


	4. Quam Sancta

Sesshy's Princess Kagome: Hey there, (I'll call you SPK xD to make things simpler for me to type. Hope you don't mind). Anyway, onto your concerns! There certainly will be hints of Sess/Kag, but I want to take things slooooowly, and from what I gather, I think this story might be in for a long haul, maybe 40-50 chapters. But definitely, there'll be hints. :3 Thanks again for your reviews.

Blazing: xD ahah good idea. That one didn't occur to me. :p

Musicallady1: Hehe. Itadakimasu munches on the reviewAnyway, Shippo, Miroku, Sango are as of now on vacation. But don't worry, they'll come in to the story later on which will also answer Norma Lizeth's question about Inuyasha's body.

**I LOVE MY BETA!!!! Thanks again for helping me out with this story. It's just amazing how much help you've been.**

* * *

'_I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes. '_

**Chapter 4**

**Quam Sancta**

* * *

Her eyes caught the light now entering her room, rubbing her eyes, she found herself back in reality. Kagome stared at a dirty ceiling as she sighed. _How did I get here? _In retrospect, if she had known where she would've wound up, she'd probably have stayed as far from the well as possible. But then again, would she give it all away for a quiet life and a memory? Her bones ached from the cold drafts and her muscles hurt from the time she spent travelling. But in the end, her heart hurt the most from losing the one she cared about the most. She put on the servant garments that had been given to her. She inched her way to the door, _five centimeters a second_._ I'm really not cut out for this_. After closing her door, she hurried off to Sesshomaru's room. Kagome had a vague idea of where his room was. After several minutes of searching, she gave up. "Excuse me. Do you know where I can find Sesshomaru's quarters?" She asked a passing demon. He had an elfish like face, except he was much taller than an elf. She noticed that his bluish hair accentuated his orange eyes.

"It's **Lord** Sesshoumaru." He corrected before adding, "Go down the hall and take a left." He replied before hurrying off. But he stopped in mid-stride, "There aren't many human servants around here. You must be new." Choutaro had a hunch about who she was, _It must be that new girl the whole castle is talking about._ He thought before mentally noting her beauty.

"I'm Kagome." She replied before running off, "Sorry but I'm really late!"

Choutaro watched in amusement as the fragile girl dashed off. He could hear her soft footsteps on the floorboards with each step. _Interesting_, _I can see why the lord has taken an interest. _He let out a chuckle, _but why keep her as a servant then? She seems inexperienced as a servant_. Choutaro gave her one last glance before turning to his original task; finding something to eat.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Gasping for air, she leaned against the wall before catching her breath. She straightened her already messy uniform before knocking.

"Come in."

Kagome nervously pushed the large metal door as she took a peek in. Sesshoumaru was seated behind a large desk with a neat pile of documents. Sesshomaru's room was far larger than she had pictured, at least twenty times the size of her room in her home. _Seesh; Talk about living lavishly._ She thought. The pelts from demons and animals that adorned his wall seemed to come alive as Kagome inched towards Sesshoumaru's desk.

"While you are my servant, you will not touch anything on my desk." Sesshoumaru replied, "I have a meeting to attend to. " Without another word, Sesshoumaru began to leave.

"Wait!" Kagome yelled, "What about avenging Rin and Inuyasha's death?"

"I would appreciate if you kept your voice down." Sesshoumaru growled, "As I have said before, there is a ball being hosted here in a few days. You will be of use to me when that time approaches." He left before Kagome could ask more questions, leaving her in the large room, alone.

Sesshoumaru's words echoed in her mind, 'You will be of use to me…' _It's always like that. I'm either a shard detector or a useful servant._ She began to grit her teeth as the thought riled up once buried emotions again. Kagome punched the pillow before grabbing a broom to sweep the floor. _I feel like Cinderella except without the handsome prince._ Kagome held the broom close to her as she danced, waltzing to the hum of her voice. Picturing herself in the arms of a prince, she giggled as she waltzed across the ballroom, capturing the stares of imaginary audiences.

But it was at that moment, Sesshoumaru and two of his generals came in; only to find Kagome in a delightfully cheerful mood dancing across his bedroom floor.

Sesshoumaru felt an annoyed sense of disbelief, "Such a diligent servant." He chipped in, before silencing the snickers he heard from his generals.

Kagome's face flushed a bright red as she stopped in mid-waltz, "What're you doing here?!" She exclaimed, helplessly trying to fight down humiliation.

"Last I recall, this was my bedroom," He sneered before grabbing a few documents off his desk.

Choutaro waited for Sesshoumaru to exit as he cast Kagome a warm smile, "Don't worry about him. You danced gracefully."

Kagome's blush darkened into a purple as she squeaked a "Thank you!" Before turning her back to him. She sighed as she heard the two generals leave.

---

"Choutaro!" Kirhara warned, "I would advise against socializing with weak humans." The tone of his voice was menacing but Choutaro brushed it off.

"Heh, you must've noticed her miko powers; hardly weak, just unharnessed power," Choutaro replied, "Besides, she is an interesting person to talk to. One of the few in this castle that are not dull." He added.

"Your intentions seem none too honorable." Kirihara muttered, "I would advise you to stay away, seeing as she holds some significance to our Lord."

"Hardly, if you mean having her sweep his bedroom floor as being 'significant'," Choutaro countered.

"You must keep in mind the rumors. It was somewhat convi-" Kirihara started, but was cut off by the voice of Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru stopped a few meters away from the two generals, "I did not realize my generals participated in gossip."

"No sir, we apologize." The two shouted almost immediately.

---

Kagome wiped her furrowed brow as she scrubbed dust and dirty from the walls and furniture of Sesshoumaru's room. Her body ached from the scrubbing movements but regardless, this movement of cleaning gave her a sense of comfort. It made her feel at home, reminding her of the times she spent cleaning Souta's room and the messes she cleaned up. How she missed living a normal life, her family, but most of all, Inuyasha.

"Ah! I have to make tea for him." Kagome mumbled when she noticed the time. "Seesh, it's hardly noon and I'm already tired." She dragged her body over to the nearest desk and chair and soon drifted into a long nap.

---

"_Inuyasha…" Kagome's eyes swelled as she reached out to him. He was still the same, with his red kimono and his warm smile. _

"_Kagome, I missed you." Inuyasha flashed Kagome a toothy grin._

"_Me too." _

_Without a moments' grace, she ran into his arms, feeling the warmth of his body and the closure that her heart felt. Kagome wished for time to stop, to wait for her. But she felt him pulling away, "Don't go."_

"_Kagome," he whispered, "I have to," and without a word, Inuyasha slowly faded from her life. It wasn't fair. They were robbed of their time and she had nothing but a few years worth of memories to go by. But sometimes, she wondered if she had remembered him right. After all, memories faded with time. She was afraid of forgetting the small details of him, his little quirks that made her love him, the sound he'd make when he wasn't pleased, or the comforting touch of his hands. But in the end, every time she thought of him, it wasn't the happy or sad times that had surfaced; instead, it was the heart wrenching feeling of anxiety of forgetting him. _

---

"Wake up."

"Just gimme a few more minutes…" She mumbled, turning her head away from the menace that was attempting to wake her from her dream.

"Remove yourself from my desk before I remove you." Sesshoumaru warned, letting out a low growl. She looked far too much like his Rin, and he didn't like it.

Kagome's eyes shot open instantly and she turned her head to the towering figure of Sesshoumaru. "Oh no, what time is it?" Kagome performed the fastest getting-out-of-chair movement and leapt into a battle stance. She cringed at the thought of possible punishments; _maybe he'll throw me in the dungeon._

"It's late. Not only did you not serve me tea but you also disobeyed direct orders to not approach my desk," sneered Sesshoumaru, taking back his rightful seat in his desk. "In addition, you left salty tears on my desk." Sesshoumaru smudged the wet drops of tears from his desk.

"Well, please forgive me," Kagome snapped back, "I didn't mean to dirty your desk with my presence." Kagome fumed as stomped out of Sesshoumaru's room.

---

Sesshoumaru cast his desk an annoyed look before settling down for a long night. Preparations were in order for the upcoming ball, which meant alliances had to be renewed or formed; meaning a night of insufferable chats with other Lords.

"Jakken, send for the generals," Sesshoumaru commanded.

"Yes, my lord!" Jakken screeched before running off.

---

"The nerve of that jerk," She muttered while heading towards the servants' dining quarters to find something to eat. Kagome searched the bare cupboards for food, only to find a small piece of bread. She sighed as she began to eat. Her mind wandered to that dream, tears flowed down her eyes as she soon found herself sobbing with pieces of wet bread in her mouth. She dragged her body out of the dining quarters as she leaned against the wall for support. Kagome kept her eyes on the plain wooden boards, watching the repeating motion of her feet dragging the rest of her body towards her room.

"Ah, Kagome, you are finally back," Chihiro greeted. It appeared Chihiro was waiting for her. "I see you look tired. Lord Sesshomaru has sent me to change your bandages."

Kagome was too tired to reply with anything other than a nod as she headed into her room, followed by the centaur.

"Chihiro, you know, today I messed up. I fell asleep when I should've been preparing tea." Kagome started, "And then I dreamt of…." Kagome winced as she trailed off.

"Dreams are thought to be a way those that have passed on contact us," Chihiro stated simply. "Often, it is to give us closure and to help us move on." Chihiro continued to apply herbal medicine to Kagome's wound as they talked in silence. "When I was younger, my family roamed these lands as free creatures. However, war overcame this freedom and soon, we were forced to choose our alliances. Our family sided with Lord **InuTashio, the Great Conqueror.** My brother, mother, and father died in battle. But even to this day, I feel them in my dreams, helping me overcome the obstacles that I encounter."

Kagome was grateful that Chihiro didn't press the subject, "Thank you."

Chihiro left quietly, closing the door behind **him, **Kagome was yet again left alone but this time, there was no moon to shine moonlight through her window. She felt as if the fire inside her had also been snuffed out along with the moonlight, leaving nothing but an infinitely vast abyss. Her heavy eyelids soon blanketed the darkness as she fell into a deep slumber.

---

"You summoned us, my lord." The four generals chanted in unison as they knelt before Sesshoumaru.

"There are matters to be discussed," Sesshoumaru paused, "regarding the ball and other matters to come." Sesshoumaru got up, closing the window and motioned for his generals to stand. "I have learned that the Lord of the Eastern lands has discovered a way to wield the Tetseiga despite being a full demon. As Inuyasha was killed, it was taken," Sesshoumaru bit out, "it is only suitable that I wield it."

"What has this to do with the ball?" Kirihara inquired, as his grey eyes bore in Sesshoumaru's figure. Kirihara's messy dark hair reminded Sesshoumaru of a certain miko, but his quiet demeanor contrasted that.

Sesshoumaru glared at Kirihara for speaking out of turn, "The Lord of the Eastern Lands currently holds Tetseiga; however that will change very soon." He paused, "There will be no doubt that he will have his generals with him. You will become my ears during the ball, as I have other matters to attend to, and report to me if anything is mentioned about said topic."

"Yes sir!"

Choutaro cast the other three a confused glance, "If it is so, will we be mounting a full scale war?" Despite Choutaro's large size, his gentle nature quickly outshone his physical features.

"No. It will most likely be espionage." Sesshoumaru replied, "Perhaps a platoon of four or five."

The fourth general, Kunimitsu stepped forward, "My lord, if deemed necessary, please allow me to accompany you in this mission." His slick dark brown hair held back, accentuating his battle scar on his left eye.

"That will be determined later. As of now, dismissed," Sesshoumaru replied in a flat tone.

Within seconds, all four of his generals disappeared; leaving Sesshoumaru to his thoughts.

"Jakken, summon Chihiro."

---

2 COOKIES to the first person who tells me where that quote (the one near the top of this page) is from.

Also, there isn't much significance to that.

I didn't really like this chapter for some reason. In addition to the fact that I found it hard to write.

Hehe. I just finished watching all of Prince of Tennis. I have to say, it's a hilarious anime. It really stretched my ability to suspend disbelief in an anime. ;l But anyway, I hope you all enjoyed that picture (seeing has no one mentioned it, I'll assume that it was satisfactory).

Hum, also you know what I realized? I haven't put in a disclaimer for this story yet.

Well, here it is:

I do not own Inuyasha and its affiliated characters. This story is written for pure enjoyment and not for profit.

I know, this title is an anomaly from the others. ;3


	5. O Castitatis Lilium

sigh

**Ayralnn: **Hi there! I had no idea it was from Zorro also. D

**Mizu:** Hi there! I read somewhere that tenseiga can only be used once on a person, so that's why. /

**Kat49:** YESS! I'm glad you loved Gits too! I did too. D

**Liniuta:** Hey there:O Wow. Thanks so much for the reviews! I am actually a miss cogito ergo sum. ;p As of now, Sango, Miroku and Shippo are in Argentina (vacationing) for the time being (but they'll enter the story later).

**Musicallady:** YES. The catcher in the rye! Yeah, I'll just explain that the quote was originally from that book, but it was also used in the anime show, Ghost in the shell. Great books by the way!

**Sesshy's Princess Kagome**: x-x; Wow! SPK, thanks so much for your loyal (and many) reviews. I can't tell you how much encouragement they give me. ;3

**Anime Fanatic:** YES! That is right. hands to cookies to Anime Fanatic D The quote was used in Ghost in the Shell: SAC (Great anime by the way, amazing psychological thriller ;p). The actual guy who wrote that quote was Salinger in his book, The Catcher in the Rye.

Also, I know it must be annoying for readers for me to bring in so many new characters into this story already, but please bear with me.

**I wanna give a HUGGEE thank you to all my readers for keeping up with this story and to all the reviewers who've been giving me really helpful feedback! And again, thanks to all!**

**Chapter 5**

**O Castitatis Lilium**

"Jakken, summon Chihiro," Sesshoumaru ordered, before turning to the details of the ball. He narrowed his eyes at the docile piece of parchment on his desk. He hated the thought of hosting the ball in his palace garden, where the few fond memories he had resided. But he had to host the ball in a fitting place and unfortunately, the garden was only appropriate.

He scowled at the thought of the Lord of the Eastern lands trampling in his gardens, also Rin's resting place. Regardless, the garden was the only fitting place to host the ball. _It shall be a magnificent ball, _He thought, before his thoughts were interrupted by the tapping, tapping of his chamber door. "'Tis Chihiro entreating entrance at your chamber door."

"Enter," Came the blunt reply.

"How may I be of service?" Chihiro kneeled before his lord.

"Inform me of the miko's conditions." Sesshoumaru began, before turning his back to Chihiro to face the crescent moon that shone so brightly in the sky; like a beacon for the lost souls still wandering in this purgatory hell.

"She is healing well, I suspect her miko powers play a part in this." Chihiro replied before he bit his lip, "Also, a few hours before, while changing her bandages, she presented me with a series of emotions she had felt or perhaps is still feeling."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow before dismissively replying, "This Sesshoumaru has no time to quell curiosities on human emotions."

"Of course," Chihiro's mellow eyes showed a glint of trickery in them, "However, I believe you may find it useful. She has told me of a dream, where she parted ways with a past lover. She expressed loss and anger in her words, with the slight mixture of bitterness. If you bring her to the ball, her emotions will cause turmoil amongst demons, which may provide a good ploy for distracting your enemies."

"I see." Sesshoumaru bit out, "Leave me." He waited until Chihiro left, closing the chamber doors behind him. _I see. Because demons are sensitive to emotions, her raging feelings will provide confusion during the ball, which may lead to a slight piece of useful information being leaked out. _Sesshoumaru thought, a smirk on his face as he cracked his knuckles. _Revenge is sweet, _He sneered as he pictured the ripe juices of the fruit of vengeance rolling off his tongue.

Kagome's slight and fragile body was greeted by the same cold, morning air from yesterday. She clung to the rough bed sheets covering her body as she instinctively curled into a ball. The morning dew drifted into her room as she wrinkled her brow, trying to shield her eyes from the bright morning light that bursting in.

"Ugh," Kagome muttered, rubbing her eyes before taking a big stretch. Her clothes were starting to smell as she sniffed herself, "I need a bath soon." She slowly put on her shoes before heading off to her duties.

Kagome clung to the wall as she began to move her stiff feet, her strength was leaving her with each step as her frail white fingers felt the rough wall of the castle as she moved.

"You don't seem well," came a voice.

Kagome turned around to see a familiar face, "Ah! It's you again!"

"It's _just_ me." Choutaro teased, before showing a worried face, "Allow me to escort you to your duties. It is the least I could do for a maiden in distress."

"Heh, no it's alright. I'm completely fine!" Kagome laughed off, as she tried to make her frail body seem stronger.

Choutaro's teasing smile came back, "If this is what you call fine, I'd hate to see what you look like when you are ill." Without another word, he lifted Kagome up in his arms, "Come now. Allow me to escort you."

Kagome turned away to hide her evident blush while muttering an, "Okay".

Choutaro took small and slow steps as he held Kagome in his arms, "So, Kagome-was it? How did you come to find yourself in the service of someone like Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"It's just a really long story…" Kagome whispered.

Choutaro, instantly sensing the girl's distress decided to drop the subject for now. "Then you must tell me some other time, for we are here now." Choutaro stopped in front of the chamber doors of Sesshoumaru. He slowly let Kagome down, "I hope to see you around." He said, before leaving.

Kagome waved before knocking on the door. She waited a few moments until she heard the stoic demon reply. Kagome mustered up what strength she had before entering.

Similar to yesterday, Sesshoumaru was seated behind his desk, except with an exceptionally larger pile of paperwork this time. "The ball is today. You shall be helping the other servants prepare for the ball." He paused before taking long strides towards Kagome, "The ball will be held in the garden. Further instructions will be given to you there."

Kagome nodded before opening her mouth, "So…this is when I'll be listening to conversations?"

"Yes, now leave." Sesshoumaru order.

Kagome turned to leave, but she spun around, "I want to come with you. I know you're going to go after him."

"Who?"

"The demon who killed Rin."

"Foolishness." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Kagome, "I am simply interested in retrieving what is rightfully mine; Tessaiga." He smirked when he saw his words had instantly flared up the miko, from her recently subdued behavior to her true fiery nature.

"You are one heartless bastard!" Kagome yelled, "I can't believe that's all you think about! Power? Is that all you care about?"

"Yes."

"Well, I have news for you! One day, you're going to realize that not everything revolves around power! You're just a heartless bastard and you'll realize how important love is sooner or later." Kagome huffed, her brows furrowed together as she tried to hold herself with pride.

"Listen woman." Sesshoumaru warned, threatening to raise his voice. "On the contrary, I am in negotiations for a mate."

"I have a name!" Kagome sneered back, "But it's not out of love!"

"Not in my household." Sesshoumaru paused, "My father chose love over power, his ultimate weakness. He sacrificed his life for love and I was left with a mess; a land in disarray and a hanyou; a disgrace to our pure bloodline." Sesshoumaru growled menacingly as he stepped towards Kagome. "Such a mistake shall never be made again."

"I'm sure it won't," Kagome snapped back. She stomped out of the room, heading towards the garden. Her anger slowly faded as she thought about the words. A feeling of empathy crept into her mind, like a caterpillar making its way up a tree. _He must've hated the responsibility he was left with_, she thought. She was quickly snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a familiar voice.

"Kagome!" Choutaro chipped, "heading to the gardens are we?"

"Yeah," Kagome replied, "I was sent to help work on the preparations for the ball."

"Perhaps you may indulge me," Choutaro began, "Because of your miko abilities; perhaps you would be interested in training?"

Kagome's eyes lit up, _I can train for when I avenge Rin and Inuyasha_, "Yeah!"

"Well then, I believe you finish your duties in the evening correct?" Choutaro replied, "Meet me in the dojo when you have finished your duties."

"Okay!" Kagome exclaimed, before dashing off to the garden.

"Yes, Kirihara?"

"Training a human miko?" Kirihara scowled, "Are you that intent on making her your mate?"

"I wouldn't take it that far just yet. But my clan, unlike yours and many others, does not make a distinction between races." Choutaro replied, "As long as I feel she is fit, and then I shall act accordingly."

"Do as you wish, but remember, what will the soldiers say? You will lose respect amongst them." Kirihara replied, "This is a friend's warning."

"As usual, your insight and perception for the future does me well," Choutaro commented, "However, this time, I shall have to turn down your advice. It appears I have become infatuated with her." He stated simply, before leaving Kirihara to his thoughts.

Kirihara kept his slit eyes on the miko who was diligently working in the garden. "For a general to want a human," Kirihara seethed, "Disgusting."

Kagome trudged along, doing as she was told. There was a surprising amount of servants working in the castle. But most of them disregarded her because she was a human. She helped pull out weeds, cut the grass, and polish wood the entire day. But at the end, she felt herself swell with pride as she saw the magnificent garden in front of her. There were four quadrants of flowers, with paths cutting between them, leading to the center, a vast space with nothing but grass and a few trees surrounding it.

It was now night, the crickets had began to sing and the moon began to shine. She wiped her furrowed brows before heading to the dojo. She had been looking forward to this the entire day, _He's the only one in this castle who doesn't look down on me,_ she thought.

"Ah, Kagome, I have been waiting for you." Choutaro chirped.

"It is Kirihara," Kirhara announced, "I wish to inform you of news."

"Come in."

The room was darkly lit, nothing but a candle wavered in the night. "My lord, I always hold your best interests at heart," Kirihara began, "Choutaro has been…interested in a certain female human."

There was no reply.

Kirhara continued, "I fear he has plans for mating her. As he is one of your generals, I fear it will cause unrest amongst our soldiers."

"Choutaro has been in my service longer than you." Sesshoumaru snapped but soon calmed down, "Even demons have desires that need be quenched." He replied flatly, "He has had, let us say," Sesshoumaru smirked, "a steady flow of females, both demon and human. There is no need for this conversation to continue. Leave."

"Yes, my lord."

"To become powerful, one must have strong basic skills," He began, "This means increasing your endurance, reflexes, and speed. Because you are a miko, brute strength will not play such a large part. However, mental strength is the most important for you. You must learn to focus on the objective at hand, which is to purify." Choutaro walked towards Kagome until he was within an arm's reach from her, "You must learn to control your powers." Then, he entwined Kagome's hand with his, feeling her delicate fingers; he smirked and said, "Purify me."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sesshoumaru paused before continuing, "Send out the invitations."

"Yes, my lord."


	6. Monumentum

Hey there. I know, I haven't updated in a while. Heh, okay, I guess it's been more than a while.

School finished.  It's a relief being able to do nothing for endless hours on end. Bwahaha and here we go! With summer school.

Rest assured, this is still SessxKag. What's love without competition for it? Just bear with me for the time.

--

**--**

--

**Previous chapter**

"To become powerful, one must have strong basic skills," He began, "This means increasing your endurance, reflexes, and speed. Because you are a miko, brute strength will not play such a large part. However, mental strength is the most important for you. You must learn to focus on the objective at hand, which is to purify." Choutaro walked towards Kagome until he was within an arm's reach from her, "You must learn to control your powers." Then, he entwined Kagome's hand with his, feeling her delicate fingers; he smirked and said, "Purify me."

--

Dolens monumentum

--

Sesshoumaru paused before continuing, "Send out the invitations."

"Yes, my lord."

Kagome involuntarily shrunk away from his touch. She could feel the warmth of his body. It was something that she hadn't felt in ages; the warmth of a man's body. She couldn't help but feel an unfamiliar emotion; it felt almost as if she was betraying Inuyasha. _This is wrong. Inuyasha just died and now I'm feeling glad that someone else is holding me? _Trying to muster courage, she slowly raised her head to look Choutaro in the eyes. What she saw, was something that she longed for, the tender eyes of a lover. Her throat felt dry, and the words, 'Okay', barely came out as a whisper.



She slowly put her hand on his chest. She was startled when she felt a shiver coming from his body. She slowly summoned her strength, feeling that same rush to her fingers, she released it. It came like nothing else but as a blinding flash, lasting only seconds, before disappearing as abruptly as it arrived.

Kagome had her eyes shut. She opened them slowly, still seeing blue spots in her vision. Without a breath, she rushed to Choutaro's body, burnt black from her purifying powers. "Choutaro!" Kagome desperately tried to shake him awake. But his body lay still on the cold wooden floors of the dojo. She felt the tears threatening to come out.

Footsteps of guards could be heard, running to her. The first guard, a snake youkai, that arrived seemed to be in shock, "W-What happened?! What did you do to General Choutaro?!" Soon after realization sat in, the guard stalked over to Kagome. "You bitch. Tell me how this happened," he growled before slapping Kagome. "You'll be punished." He quickly barked orders for the other guards to tend to Choutaro, "Send that little bitch to Sesshoumaru-sama."

Kagome slowly followed the other guard out of the dojo, still feeling the stinging pain in her cheek. _Why am I so useless? I hurt the only person in this castle that has been nice to me. _Her train of thought was interrupted by the guard's knocking on Sesshoumaru's door. After hearing the words, 'Come in', the guard opened the doors and shoved Kagome.

The room was not lit. It was almost in pitch black if not for the moonlight that shone in from the window. Kagome tried to make out Sesshoumaru in the dark, but to no avail.

"Move," He stated simply, "into the moonlight."

Kagome dragged her body into that small pitch of light. Under the moon, she felt comforted. She gazed into the half crescent moon, wondering why she hadn't noticed its beauty earlier.

"Do not speak," Sesshoumaru started, "Very rarely has anyone injured one of my Generals. But for a human, a woman nevertheless, like you to even glaze him. Choutaro is quite enigmatic, isn't he?"

Kagome couldn't help but utter a sob. She wasn't sure if that was a compliment but it only reminded her of the kindness Choutaro showed her.

Sesshoumaru paused before taking a step towards Kagome. He was now close enough to the light that she could see him. He was wearing his night robe, a yukata, with white Adonis flowers stitched in. The flowers seemed to compliment his hair. But it was his golden eyes, eyes that seemed almost mesmerizing, that pierced her heart. She felt he could see through every inch of her. She felt as if she had revealed her most inner secrets to him, but she hadn't. It was the piercing stare of golden eyes that made her feel so vulnerable.

"Explain why you were in the dojo with my general," Sesshoumaru stated, keeping an almost absolute calm facade. Kagome tried to read his expression, but she couldn't find an ounce of anger or derailment for his injured general.



"I..." Kagome held her head high, trying to keep that piercing gaze. "He was training me." She said, her voice no longer stuttering. "He told me to purify him! I wasn't really...sure if I should…" Kagome trailed off.

"-and you did. But he did not expect you to be as powerful as you are," Sesshoumaru finished off.

"He's okay…right?" She whispered, more for herself to hear, trying to bring herself some reassurance.

"Choutaro is injured, but he is fine," came the apt reply, "However, I will not permit you to meet him."

"Why?!" Kagome started, fire instantly igniting in her eyes, "It was my fault that he was injured! I want to see him!"

"This is precisely why," Sesshoumaru answered, "you must know your place as a servant. There are limits, boundaries, set between generals and servants." He paused. "In addition, from my judgement, it appears that you seem to be stronger than originally thought. Therefore, I shall oversee your training."

"But-" Kagome attempted to protest, but was silenced by a glare. She wanted to protest but she knew that if something like this happened again, Choutaro might not survive it. _It's probably for the better_.

Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts when Sesshoumaru began to speak again, "Of course, there will be a punishment." Sesshoumaru smirked, putting much emphasis on the word 'punishment', "It would be suspicious if a servant were not punished for this."

Kagome had no energy left to argue, but she knew that Sesshoumaru's reasoning was perfectly logical. But that's all it was, logical. At times, she wondered if reason was his train way of thought.

"What's my punishment, my _dear _lord?" Kagome pounded angrily, trying to keep herself from giving that perfectly chiselled face a slap._ That jerk! He's taking way too much pleasure in this_.

"You have to relocate the excrement left over by Ah-Un from his stall to the area designated." said Sesshoumaru simply.

There was a long pregnant pause, before realization hit Kagome. "Wait, what?! I have to shovel poo?!" All Kagome received in response was a silent nod, but she was too exhausted to fight it. She was too tired, from the burden of hurting Choutaro and the burden of being helpless as Inuyasha died. She was too exhausted to realize that one could collapse under such burden, but there were no time outs in life, no breaks for her to catch her breath. If she stopped to rest, the world would keep moving on, leaving her behind with nothing but shattered memories, broken dreams, and nights with teardrops on her pillows.

"That's all for now, leave." Sesshoumaru ordered before turning his attention back to the bright moon.

Kagome quietly walked out, before taking one last glance behind her. _He looks so much like Inuyasha, so much at peace._ She couldn't help but remember the times when her and Inuyasha would sit on the cool 

summer grass and gaze at that same bright moon that Sesshoumaru was now looking at. It made her heart ache as she remembered those happy times.

Kagome inched slowly towards her room, her steps once again feeling as heavy as the burden she was carrying on her shoulders. She felt hot and sweaty, trying to gasp for air. _Why can't I see anything?_ She tried to steady herself against the wall but, her vision was too blurry. "Chou...taro," were her last words as she collapsed on the wooden floors.

--

Sesshoumaru heard the door close as Kagome left. His eyes were fixated on the shining moon but all his other senses were directed towards where Kagome had stood.

--

That's it for now folks. Sorry for the long delay. It's been busy. But I will persevere. 

Because...

'For me, givin' up is way harder than tryin'" – Kanye


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